Rep. John Katko: Donald Trump has to earn my vote

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. John Katko added his name Thursday to a growing list of Republicans who say they're not ready to back Donald Trump, the GOP's presumptive nominee for president.

Katko, R-Camillus, had remained neutral in the Republican presidential primary, saying he would support the eventual party nominee. But Katko said Thursday he's not yet convinced he will support or vote for Trump.

"Any candidate has to earn my vote, including Donald Trump," Katko said in a statement. "He has a lot of work to do in that regard. I'm concerned with some of the comments he's made, and with the general tone that he's taken."

Katko, however, said he will not support Democrat Hillary Clinton in the November election.

The first-term congressman was unavailable Thursday to elaborate on his comment.

Katko has been critical of Trump throughout the GOP primary race, blaming the billionaire reality television star for a lack of substance in the campaign.

"The phenomenon of Trump, I think, is not so much what he's saying, but how he's saying it," Katko said in January at an editorial board meeting of the Syracuse Media Group.

"I think he could say, 'The sky is green,' every day and everyone would say 'yay' because of the way he delivers it," Katko said. "He's basically sticking the middle finger to the establishment, and that's what's resonating."

Despite intense pressure from Trump ally Carl Paladino of Buffalo, seven Republican members of New York's congressional delegation -- including Katko -- refused to endorse Trump before the state's April 19 primary.

Only two New York House members -- U.S. Reps. Chris Collins, R-Clarence, and Tom Reed, R-Corning -- publicly backed Trump before the election in his home state. This week, Reps. Peter King and Lee Zeldin of Long Island endorsed Trump after he became the party's presumptive nominee.

Katko took his position Thursday on the same day House Speaker Paul Ryan said he's not ready to support Trump, giving cover to other Republicans in Congress who don't want to be associated with the nominee.

"Well, to be perfectly candid with you, I'm just not ready to do that at this point," Ryan told CNN's Jake Tapper. "I'm not there right now. And I hope to, though, and I want to."

Trump responded to Ryan on Thursday afternoon.

"I am not ready to support Speaker Ryan's agenda," Trump said in a statement. "Perhaps in the future we can work together and come to an agreement about what is best for the American people. They have been treated so badly for so long that it is about time for politicians to put them first!"

Katko is also among a group of Republicans who say they have no plan to attend the Republican National Convention in Cleveland this July. Two former GOP presidents and the last two party nominees for president said they will not attend the convention now that Trump is the presumptive nominee.